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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. firm — steady
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. firm — decided
  5. mate — a friend
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. mate — a partner
  9. firm — a company
  10. mate — to breed
  11. shower — rain
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. rush — hurry
  15. vault — a safe
  16. date — the fruit
  17. shower — to wash
  18. date — on the calendar

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com